Sermons on defying odds:

Why Did You Go, Why Did You Die?

Contributed by Eric Darr on Apr 11, 2005

It is curiously odd that people who are filled with horrified indignation whenever a cat kills a sparrow can hear the story of the killing of God told Sunday after Sunday and not experience any shock at all.

“Why did you go, Why did you die?” • Prayer The mother of a nine-year-old boy named Mark received a phone call in the middle of the afternoon. It was the teacher from her son’s school. "Mrs. Smith, something unusual happened today in your son’s third grade class. Your son did something that ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:1-32

Denomination: Pentecostal

Christmas: Nothing's Impossible With God!

Contributed by Warner Pidgeon on Dec 16, 2006

Elizabeth was pregnant against all ’odds’. Mary was to become pregnant even though she was a virgin! What seems ’impossible’ in your life right now? What is God saying to your situation?

“Nothing is impossible with God” (1:37). What is going on in your life right now which seems impossible to solve? What has happened, or what is happening at the moment which you think might be beyond or outside of God’s care and control? Is it one of these: Is it your children; a family member; a ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

Denomination: Anglican

A Closer Look Series

Contributed by Bob Soulliere on Nov 27, 2004

The birth of John the Baptist puts a different spin on the birth of Jesus. We get to see the birth and life of Jesus through the eyes of relatives who were going through the same odd happenings

Falling in love with Jesus Luke 1:68-80 A closer look Based on the book with the same name by Rubel Shelly Part II-B ILL: History tells us that early in the nineteenth century the whole world was watching with bated breath the campaigns of Napoleon. There was talk everywhere of marches, ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:68-80

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Not Everything Is As It Seems

Contributed by Aaron Holbrough on Jul 13, 2011

Jesus meets a sick man, and Jesus question to him seems odd - "do you want to get better?" But sometimes what we want and what we need are two different things.

Not everything is as it Seems. John 5:1-15 Jesus is heading up to Jerusalem for a Feast of the Jews (doesn’t say which one) On his way he passed by pool that in Aramaic is called Bethesda archeology has uncovered these pools and they had colonnades or covered parts and the invalid and ...read more

Scripture: John 5:1-15

Denomination: Mennonite

Loyal Friends Series

Contributed by Brady Boyd on Nov 4, 2021

This book seems like an odd fit. There are no epic miracles or battles. It’s a love story for sure, but I think it’s also a book about loyalty and God’s redemption.

Ruth Chapter One – Loyal Friends November 7, 2021 This book seems like an odd fit. There are no epic miracles or battles. It’s a love story for sure, but I think it’s also a book about loyalty and God’s redemption. We open the story with a moving conversation between an elderly widow and her ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:13-18, Psalm 68:5-6

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Jacob Wrestles With God, A Salvation Story. Series

Contributed by Andrew Moffatt on Jun 6, 2024

Jacob had been at odds with pretty much everyone his entire life, He wrestles with God and surrenders. There is a new beginning. Why do we wrestle with God and not just surrender to him?

Read Genesis 32:22-32 Who here likes a bit of alone time, the family have gone off on a trip and here’s an opportunity, there’s that novel that you would like to finish reading, that project that you’ve been wanting to finish or in my case get started, the hobby that it would be good to lose ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 32:22-32, Ephesians 2:4-6, Genesis 32:1-32, Jeremiah 29:11-14

Denomination: Salvation Army

The Valley Of Shadows Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Mar 10, 2019

In a world that is dominated by those who defy, avoid and simply fear death, David simply says "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil." Why was it that David could be so confident?

OPEN: “Life is short, and death is sure. Sin the cause. Christ the cure.” Vladimir Lenin - the first communist dictator of Russia - died in 1924. Shortly after his death, authorities decided to maintain his body in a mausoleum. So, for the past 95 years Lenin’s body has been on display in ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-4, Hebrews 2:14, Hebrews 13:5, Genesis 39:1-23

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

The Unexpected Jesus (Sermon 1) At Work Today! Series

Contributed by Dean Courtier on Sep 4, 2024

Many times in the Gospels, Jesus shows up in ways that people did not expect. He often defies expectations, both then and now, and as we look at three powerful moments in Scripture, we will see how Jesus reveals Himself in unexpected ways.

Transformed by Truth: The Unexpected Jesus (sermon 1) At work today! Luke 24:13-35, John 4:4-30, Isaiah 55:8-9 Introduction Have you ever had a moment when something or someone completely surprised you? Maybe you expected one outcome, but what actually happened caught you off guard and left you ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:13-35, John 4:4-30, Isaiah 55:8-9, Proverbs 3:5-6, Galatians 3:28, Matthew 28:19-20  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Pentecostal

Gideon: The Thresher Gone Thrasher Series

Contributed by Ed Vasicek on Apr 26, 2021

Today’s sermon is about a cowardly hero forced into hiding by organized crime, an angel that is more than an angel, strange fleece ware, a bad dream, being outnumbered 450 to one, and smashed pottery. This is how it happened.

Gideon: The Thresher Gone Thrasher (Judges 6:1-7:25) 1. My sister didn’t do as well on her driver’s-ed test as she’d hoped. It might have had something to do with how she completed this sentence: “When the ______ is dead, the car won’t start.” She wrote: “Driver.” Nathan Hellman, Brooklyn, ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Mary A Terrific Teenager

Contributed by Bob Marcaurelle on Dec 3, 2019

The Roman Catholic Church has defied this young girl and in response, many Protestants have demoted her as some kind of second-class servant of God. This is wrong because she, like her Son, was one of God's suffering servants.

MARY - THE TERRIFIC TEENAGER Luke 1:26-38 A remarkable thing about God is that he trusts us with His work. He trusted men and women in Bible times to receive and record His revelations of Himself. He entrusted His church with His supreme revelation, Jesus, and with the great commission ...read more

Scripture: Luke 1:26-28, Luke 2:41-50, John 2:4, Matthew 12:46

Denomination: Baptist

The Faith Of The Friends Of The Paralytic

Contributed by Jose Imperial on Feb 8, 2009

Having faith in a faithless environment is a real challenge to the Christian. How did the Lord able to heal the paralytic through the faith of his friends. Lets see the odds and obstacles they face and discover the way they overcome.

The faith of the friends of the Paralytic Mt 9:1-8 Luke 5:17-26 Having faith in a faithless environment is a real challenge to the Christian. How did the Lord able to heal the paralytic through the faith of his friends. Lets see the odds and obstacles they face and discover the way they ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 9:1-8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Peculiar People Day Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Jan 17, 2016

The KJV uses the word "peculiar" 7 times - but it didn't mean "odd" or "bizarre" - it meant a treasured "possession". But what does that mean to us and how should that effect our daily lives as Christians?

(I opened by reading Titus 2:11-14 from the KJV) OPEN: Last Sunday (January 10th) was “Peculiar People Day”. Nobody knows who came up with the idea of making that a special day (somebody thinks it might have been the greeting card companies) but the whole idea of this Peculiar People ...read more

Scripture: Titus 2:11-14

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Perfect Stories – Are You Depressed? Suffering Waves Of Attacks? – Don’t Quit! – Three Steps To Dealing With Depression Biblically + Prayer And Fasting For Oceania Series

Contributed by Ambassador Monday Ogbe on Feb 20, 2022

Hello friends, the Lord’s presence, power, protection, provision, and preservation rest mightily upon you in this month of March as you march forward with Him despite the odds that are stacked up against you in Jesus name, Amen dealing with depression biblically Do you have a desire to quit?

I woke up one morning and I had absolutely no desire to read the bible, and when I attempted to read it, it came through as strange text to me. As much as I tried, it was as if there was a screen covering my mind that would not allow me make sense of what I was reading. I tried playing spiritual or ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 42:9, 1 Kings 19:4-14

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Wrath Of Men

Contributed by William R. Nabaza on Jan 28, 2013

I. EXORDIUM: Are you angry again? II. AUDIENCE PROFILE: Believers III. OBJECTIVES: To show that we have to master our emotions and not the other way around. IV. TEXT: Psalms 76:10 (New Living Translation, Second Edition) Human defi

I. EXORDIUM: Are you angry again? II. AUDIENCE PROFILE: Believers III. OBJECTIVES: To show that we have to master our emotions and not the other way around. IV. TEXT: Psalms 76:10 (New Living Translation, Second Edition) Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon. ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 76:10

Denomination: Pentecostal

Ah! Regrets, I Have A Few...

Contributed by Wade Martin Hughes, Sr on Aug 5, 2008

3 TYPES OF REPENTANCE:1 METAMELLOMAI, 2.METANOEO, 3.METANOIA --- Ah, is a lost word of the Bible. It means regrets. Regrets, I have had a few, but I must press on against all odds.

AH! Regrets, I have had a few... WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN? TOMORROW’S OPPORTUNITIES? Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com IF YOU DO THIS IN ONE PART--- You must move quickly. I. THERE IS A LOST WORD THAT WE NEED TO LEARN: AH! Jeremiah 1:6 Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot speak: for ...read more

Scripture: Jeremiah 1:6

Denomination: Assembly Of God